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Nawazuddin Siddiqui recalls doubting himself at the beginning of his career

Posted By: Vishal Maurya Posted On: May 03, 2026Share Article
Nawazuddin Siddiqui recalls doubting himself at the beginning of his career
Read more to find out how Nawazuddin Siddiqui's initial years in the industry looked like. (PTI)

Nawazuddin Siddiqui recalls doubting himself and losing confidence at the beginning of his career: ‘Survived on Parle-G’

Nawazuddin Siddiqui recalls doubting himself and losing confidence at the beginning of his career: ‘Survived on Parle-G’

Life looked quite different for Nawazuddin Siddiqui before his breakthrough. He reflects on his struggles in the initial years and how he made ends meet.

May 3, 2026, 06:08:34 IST Written by Eshana Saha Share via Copy link Before Gangs of Wasseypur catapulted him to nationwide fame, life looked very different for Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He arrived in Mumbai with barely any money, took up work as a watchman to make ends meet, and immersed himself in theatre to hone his craft. After years of getting by on little more than tea and Parle-G biscuits, he finally earned the recognition he deserved – yet has remained characteristically modest about his journey. Read more to find out how Nawazuddin Siddiqui's initial years in the industry looked like. (PTI) Also Read | Nawazuddin Siddiqui calls out racism in Hindi cinema, says he never found anyone ‘more beautiful than Smita Patil’ In a recent interview, the 51-year-old actor opened up about the struggles that preceded his rise to fame, his unwavering dedication to his craft, and how he coped with the hardships along the way. He recalled grappling with moments of self-doubt, often feeling as though luck was not on his side in the industry. The emotional toll of those years weighed heavily on his mental health, at times leaving him in tears on the streets.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui started doubting himself

In an April 2026 interview with Radio Nasha, Siddiqui opened up about the emotional toll of those years of struggle. He recalled grappling with bouts of self-doubt, as his confidence began to waver, and admitted that he started equating the lack of work with a failure in his own learning and growth. He recounted, “In the beginning, you have a lot of confidence and passion. But gradually, after facing repeated struggles, your confidence starts to fade. You begin to doubt yourself, whether what you learned was wrong, which is why you’re not getting work.” The Thamma actor admitted that at times he felt simply unlucky, while at others he questioned his own suitability for the craft, wondering if he was truly cut out for it. He added, “I have seen that mental state where I started doubting myself, felt unfit. It feels like bad luck has struck you – like every opportunity slips away just when you’re about to get it. For almost 10 years, I felt like I was manhus (unlucky). Whenever a big opportunity came, it would suddenly slip away.”

Low points in Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s life

Siddiqui reflected on just how difficult it was to break through in the industry – opportunities would come his way, only to slip through his fingers just as quickly. He recalled sharing news of new roles with family and friends, only to sometimes be dropped from projects before filming had even begun. He said, “I would even tell my brother and friends that I had got work in a film. But when the shooting dates arrived, I would be fired – sometimes without even being informed. There were many times when I felt like crying in the middle of the road. And I did cry – while also looking around to make sure no one was watching.” There was a time when poverty defined his daily existence. The actor recalled surviving on Parle-G for all three meals, as he struggled to make ends meet. So closely is the biscuit tied to that difficult phase that even today, he says, eating a Parle-G brings back memories that leave a bitter taste. He recounted, “I survived on Parle-G biscuits. Whenever I eat Parle-G even today, it takes me back to Delhi – breakfast, lunch, dinner, it was all Parle-G. Even now, if I eat it, it makes me feel like I have nothing. The taste still brings a lot of pain.” Confidence Nawazuddin Siddiqui Mental Health Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!.

Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times. News/Entertainment/Bollywood/Nawazuddin Siddiqui Recalls Doubting Himself And Losing Confidence At The Beginning Of His Career: ‘Survived On Parle-G’ See Less

Before Gangs of Wasseypur catapulted him to nationwide fame, life looked very different for Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He arrived in Mumbai with barely any money, took up work as a watchman to make ends meet, and immersed himself in theatre to hone his craft. After years of getting by on little more than tea and Parle-G biscuits, he finally earned the recognition he deserved – yet has remained characteristically modest about his journey.

Also Read | Nawazuddin Siddiqui calls out racism in Hindi cinema, says he never found anyone ‘more beautiful than Smita Patil’

In a recent interview, the 51-year-old actor opened up about the struggles that preceded his rise to fame, his unwavering dedication to his craft, and how he coped with the hardships along the way. He recalled grappling with moments of self-doubt, often feeling as though luck was not on his side in the industry. The emotional toll of those years weighed heavily on his mental health, at times leaving him in tears on the streets.

He recounted, “In the beginning, you have a lot of confidence and passion. But gradually, after facing repeated struggles, your confidence starts to fade. You begin to doubt yourself, whether what you learned was wrong, which is why you’re not getting work.”

The Thamma actor admitted that at times he felt simply unlucky, while at others he questioned his own suitability for the craft, wondering if he was truly cut out for it. He added, “I have seen that mental state where I started doubting myself, felt unfit. It feels like bad luck has struck you – like every opportunity slips away just when you’re about to get it. For almost 10 years, I felt like I was manhus (unlucky). Whenever a big opportunity came, it would suddenly slip away.”

He said, “I would even tell my brother and friends that I had got work in a film. But when the shooting dates arrived, I would be fired – sometimes without even being informed. There were many times when I felt like crying in the middle of the road. And I did cry – while also looking around to make sure no one was watching.”

There was a time when poverty defined his daily existence. The actor recalled surviving on Parle-G for all three meals, as he struggled to make ends meet. So closely is the biscuit tied to that difficult phase that even today, he says, eating a Parle-G brings back memories that leave a bitter taste.

He recounted, “I survived on Parle-G biscuits. Whenever I eat Parle-G even today, it takes me back to Delhi – breakfast, lunch, dinner, it was all Parle-G. Even now, if I eat it, it makes me feel like I have nothing. The taste still brings a lot of pain.”

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